


Fool Me Once

by AwatereJones



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Betrayal, F/M, Gen, Hope, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27311191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Jack's friend Owen needs a favor for a mate, enter Ianto Hallett, formerly Jones. The marriage and life this man leads is suspect and he needs help getting out of his loveless marriage... with his child if he can. Jack is the PI asked to help, Ianto is of course the downtrodden man trying desperately to leave a bad situation. Jack of course says yes. Love my Crumbly xxx (Angsty) just a little one for fun
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Lisa Hallett/Ianto Jones, Owen Harper/Toshiko Sato
Comments: 36
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

Jack was not sure what Owen was bringing him, not usually one to ask for favours. As he heard his voice in the outer office talking to Toshiko Jack found himself thinking back to the first time they met.

The day Owen lost his fiancé and Jack was the attending officer. A sad day. The courtship a few years later between Owen and Jack's PA Toshiko had been both agonizingly slow and unexpected for both of them, Jack doing what he could to encourage it as months passed, then almost a year after that first date and admission to one another that there were feelings.

Now they were a couple, Jack felt like Owen was that annoying kid brother you always wanted. Definitely more of one than Gray ever was.

Owen didn't ask for favours. Not his style. To ask Jack to see a friend was something Jack embraced. Anything to please his buddy. He was not expecting the man who entered behind Owen. The thin, refined and clearly uncomfortable young man who hung back wringing his hands like he was here against his will.

"Jack, this is Ianto." Owen said as he slumped in his usual chair, "He has a story to tell."

"Well … he looks busy" the man said and oh my god… those vowels went straight to Jack's groin. Sweet Mary Mother of Jesus, Jack knew he had to move under the desk more, and quickly. Wow. What has Owen bought him? Owen was eager for the man to speak, even if the man himself wasn't and finally he rolled his eyes and began to talk softly with such a delicious voice.

"My name is Ianto. Ianto Hallett" the handsome man finally sits primly on the edge of his chair, the laptop bag he had been carrying placed down beside him "I met my wife when we were both at university. She surprised me, was an aggressive woman even then. I was unsure… she comes from money. A LOT of money and her family do not approve of me."

"Too quiet for them?" Jack asked then leaned back "Or poor?"

"Too white" his surprise answer had Jack's eyebrows rising slightly as he motioned for him to continue and Ianto shifted in the chair again, clearly not happy as he glared at Owen who motioned at him so with a sigh he continued "Hallett is not my birth name. When we wed I took hers. Part of the pre-nup as her brother died and the family name was… but that is getting ahead of myself."

"Back to uni. Ah … she was aggressive, wanting and I admit, she was my first lover. When she told me she was pregnant she was just starting her job at the family firm and … it made sense for me to give up my job and be the stay-at-home father. My job didn't even touch what she makes and with her being so … focused on her work it would have been silly to do otherwise. Henry was born with…ah…"

"The kid has physical and mental problems" Owen muttered and Jack noted the flash of anger in the young man's face before he turned to Owen.

"Owen."

"Sorry" Owen shrugged and Jack is now surprised as Owen NEVER apologizes for anything. Wow. This guy, whoever he is, really is a friend. Jack didn't know Owen had any others.

"We wed before she was showing … the pre-nup shoved at me before the wedding with conditions attached that did not sit well with me and we had our first argument. Finally we reconsidered a few and we came to an agreement that suited her and her family. We wed, Henry was born and he has …ah… developmental delays. The polite way of saying my son is…well … simple. I suspect some sort of thing like Down Syndrome or maybe something on the autism spectrum but my wife refuses to have him tested."

"I still say do it without her knowing. She never knows what you do with him, she is never fucking there" Owen interrupted, then made a motion of covering his mouth sarcastically.

"My wife, as I have said several times is … aggressive" Ianto says pointedly and now Jack hears the words not spoken. Aggressive. As in .. abusive? Jack stares at him and then asks the only question that matters now.

"Do you want a way out?"

Ianto stares back and then silently nods.

"OK. I will need…" Jack starts to speak then stops as Ianto pulled a file out of the bag he had carried in with him, thought to be a laptop bag it is clearly a carrier bag and the file plonked down is thick.

"Paperwork, photographs, a written account of everything I can think if that might help, email access, passwords to everything I know of and permission to dig." His vowels are so pretty, as are those eyes that finally slide to meet Jack's.

Wow.

"Well Mister... what was your name? When you were you?"

Ianto's smile is warm as he leans in and says softly "Jones. Believe it or not, just another common old Jones. But please… call me Ianto."

Something told Jack this rare creature was anything but common.

And he was invested.


	2. is it a lie?

"Where were you today?" Lisa asked as she looked up from the glass of whiskey, the ice chinking in the glass as she raised it to take a sip.

Ianto had exited their son's room and not been able to hide his jump as her arrival home had been so quiet he had not heard her. "Jesus love, you scared the crap out of me. So malevolent of you"

She laughed, leaning back. She liked that thought.

"Actually I spent some time with Owen today" Ianto said, placing a plate of hot food before her, then another on the other side of the table. He did not eat without her, waiting sometimes into the middle of the night. He never knew how much he hated that until now, another control she loved and he didn't. If he did not eat with her she would throw a fit and accuse him of not caring.

"Oh? He still with that Chinese girl?"

Japanese" Ianto said before he could stop himself. She hates being corrected "but Toshiko is a name that can be either I guess."

She slammed the glass down and then cleared her throat, pulling the plate closer and picking at it with her fork "Did you add garlic?"

"No love. You have the big meeting tomorrow you told me about. I know Garlic makes us gassy.. no garlic. I used ginger instead." Ianto said, her flatulence another sore point he took on as his as well.

She hummed liking the taste and ate with gusto, then settled back as he started to clear away the dishes, his hardly eaten. "So … you and Owen were other on the South Side?"

Ianto's hand waivered over the glass of wine he had been drinking as he had forgotten that tracing app she used to keep an eye on his movements, and he smiled softly "Yes, he has a friend over there. Jack. He had to drop something off and you know I like a car ride."

"A lot of different businesses over that way" she said, seeming to bore into him and he tried not to squirm under her scrutiny.

"Yes, I saw a gym over there full of those middle aged women in Lycia that makes you squirm. I was almost transfixed. A Starbucks… I think some sort of florists. I may go back, their arrangements were superb." Ianto made small talk, "Mostly I window shopped as we drove. The traffic… horrible darling."

She relaxed, accepting this and began a tirade about the traffic she had coming home. Then she asked "And Hen? His day?"

God he hated that. Their child is not a fucking chicken. He smiled through it and said "the preschool said he had a mild day. Only bit Justin and apparently Justin had been pinching all day."

"Provoked!" she said with a sharp nod of her head "I hope you pointed that out. Our son is blamed for everything!"

"Yes love. I did, I also remind them of the last time you had to intervene. Taking precious time for your work for something so stupid as your son's school. Their little arseholes puckered" he said and she laughed, leaning back more and he knew what was coming next.

"Any chance of a rub down there Mister Hallett?"

"Why Missus Hallett… so bold of you" he simpered "I shall just finish loading the dishwasher and check our son is covered… and shall meet you in the bedroom. Remember… I want to undress you!"

She laughed and rose, slapping that pert arse she liked as she sashayed from the room and he felt that weird twist in his gut.

He loved her so much. Right now… he felt something else. That thing creeping into the equation like that thing in the matrix movie where you realise there is no spoon. Ya know? The world was weirdly tipping and he knew he had to hold on.

For his son.

.

.

.

"Sorry we had to meet here, Henry attacked one of the carers at the pre-school and it is an automatic stand-down" Ianto explained as he sat on the park bench with Jack and Owen "He is happy now. Got what he wanted. He hates that place. He is a free spirit. I would rather he was homeschooled but… she thinks I mollycoddle him too much as it is."

Jack glanced over at the child running with arms wide, flapping as if he might take off. Clearly the child have problems, his facial features suggesting something in the DNA and he also saw that this could not be Ianto's child. The Asian tint there clear.

"Right. First we do a DNA test, set your mind at ease right? Could be, this is your kid and some distant strain of a past relative has crept in. DNA says he is yours… there is no need to go nuclear right?" Owen asked "After all, he is yours in every other way. She does not even know his favourite colour… food…"

"It will be what she decides it is" Ianto said bitterly, surprised by his own tone.

"Look. We do the test, we look at options and move from there. Right?" Jack joined the side of caution "But in the meantime, my people are looking at what you gave me, searching what you didn't … there are more bank accounts, more money she has squirreled away… some on your name, in your son's name too."

Ianto stared at him with shock.

Hidden accounts?

What was she doing?


	3. gut punch

Ianto was watching his son play, laughing and running with glee. More and more Ianto had come to accept the limitations of his child, and the joy in him. Now.. this thought that he may not be his haunted him.

The constant fighting with Lisa who blames him for their son's limitations was a sore point too. Especially as… this may not be his fucking child at all. He had always wanted a few kids, always. This was the fighting point of most of their arguments in the last few years. And her control of course but he always wanted more than one. A little gaggle of beasts. She had wanted a little girl, wanted one more try. Finally he had realized that this as a full time thing, this little boy was his forever child and he had waited until she was out of town for a week on one of her seminars to get the snip. Quiet, clean, simple. No more kids. Henry would be his world. His forever. His only truelove. God that had hurt but… he also loved her so much. She had been so important, so… everything in his life. Now… now even though he was so hopeful … really … this was his son no matter what a DNA test said. The only thing it would mean is that he was tied to her if he wanted to keep his child, she would tear him away in a heartbeat.

"Hey" Jack settled next to him. "No Owen?"

"No. All the other kids were looking at him funny" Ianto replied and Jack took a moment before realizing Ianto was joking. Jack found himself laughing.

"Right. The DNA results are in. Want to go somewhere to talk?" Jack asked.

"No" Ianto felt his stomach twist, "Just tell me."

"He is not biologically your son, just yours in life" Jack said as gently as he could, watching the man crumble for a moment, then gasp though his pain. Jack gave him time then said after a few minutes "This changes nothing. Only you know. She does not. In the eyes of the law, you are his father. At the moment, if you split you know you will get the kid right? You are the full time caregiver, she is not."

"The pre-nup." Ianto sighed softly "The only way to break it is to prove her infidelity. The only way to do that is to prove he is not my child. See? Rock and hard place meet at great velocity and pain, my balls in the way."

"I love the way you talk" Jack grinned, "OK. We keep working on it. You OK?"

"I have to be. You are right… he is still my boy. That will not change, I loved him since the first moment he was placed in my arms. Blood does not make him any more or less in my eyes. Only her!" Ianto rose and turned to look down at Jack, their eyes met and Jack saw the anger there "Keep looking. Thinking and I will too."

"Listen … we can go low and dirty. I can dig into places that are seedy, I can rip her off at the knees"

"No." Ianto said with horror "No. I … she is still the mother of my child and… I know I am a fool to love someone that…but I do."

"You know what they say" Jack rose to face him "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…"

"Yeah. I know" Ianto smiled wanly, then walked over to pull his son out of the bushes.

He still had to hold onto something and his little boy was all he had right now.


	4. hang on a sec... waking up is hard to do

Lisa had left early, a full day of work ahead of her and Ianto wandered around the apartment picking up as his little one slept in. He was not going to preschool today, the stand-down still in effect. The stand-down he had strangely not told Lisa of. For the first time in his life, he had lied. Well … not lied but omission is the same thing right?

Ianto was looking forward to a day with his little one, the rain outside falling heavily now and the fact he didn't have to straggle the child to the preschool was actually comforting. Instead Ianto thought of some games they might play, some fun to be had and he checked the fridge, then called in an order for delivery.

Why not have some fun.

"Ah… Mister Hallett?" the shopkeeper said on the other end of the phone, sounding a little uncomfortable.

"Yes?"

"Ah… your bill for the last month…"

Oh god. "Oh I am so sorry. Has that not cleared? Hold on, I will pay that now"

Ianto fiddled with the laptop and soon had the account on the screen, paying with ease and adding some to cover today "There we go, also ahead a few hundred to cover the next few orders. So sorry about that, would forget me head if it wasn't super glued on."

Finally off the phone Ianto sat and stared at the screen that showed their joint account. Well … Ianto's account. The money she 'allowed' him and he saw that she had not placed anything in it for at least two months. The monthly instalments had stopped and he hadn't even noticed. Although not a problem now… by the end of the month when he had to pay all the bills, he would find himself tight for money.

He picked up the phone "Hi there. It's Mister Hallett, is Missus Hallett there?"

Ianto sat and listened to the poor assistant splutter and try to find a reason why he couldn't talk to her right now, assuring him that she would call him back. Ianto sat back and pondered this, then made another call.

"Hi Jack. Listen, something is going on with my money. My wife… I mean … do you know where she is right now?" Ianto was surprised that this was the question he decided on but Jack didn't seem so surprised.

"At this moment in time she is on a plane to Vancouver for an afternoon at a very nice spa there, pre booked in both her name and that of a … Randy Glover?"

Ianto felt sick. He felt more than that. He felt angry.

The phone pings to tell him someone was on the other line and he asked Jack to hold, taking it as his wife began to scold him for calling her at work.

"You know how busy I am Ianto, this is not a good thime! Damn, could it not have waited?"

"Where are you?"

"At work, you know I am. For Godsake what do you want!"

"I want my money. You have not paid me for months and I am getting low. We had an agreement or do I have to go to your father and tell him I do not have enough money to feed his grandchild?"

The silence felt good. He knew he would pay for that but it felt good to know she could not say what she wanted, couldn't not scream, throw something or hit him. He drummed his fingers and repeated "where are you?"

"I will put some in now. I forgot" she said flatly, then hung up.

Ianto grunted, then put Jack back on "You are sure that is where she is?"

"Plane landed not ten minutes ago. Yep. He's tall. Handsome in an Asian sort of way."

Ouch.

"You sure you still want to take the high road?" Jack aksed "You know… we could still go low and dirty. You just take off my muzzle and let me go."

"Jack … let's just see where this all goes, yeah?"

Ianto has a lot to think about.

.

.

.

.

"Sorry I am late, the meeting went so late that we ate there" Lisa called out as she entered the apartment "Did you get the message?"

"Yes." Ianto called back, still at the sink staring at the splash back with annoyance. He hates yelling. He waited for that to start, her anger at the phone call today but to his confusion, she acted like nothing had happened.

"Good. God I am beat. Will shower and hit the sack. Henry have a good day?" she asked as she dropped her briefcase and Ianto turned to look at her with interest. Her blouse had spots of wine on it, also the smell of garlic wafted off her. Really? Someone ate out?

"Thank you for putting some money into the account" Ianto said calmly "That was kind of you when I knew how busy you were. Sorry to bother you, but Henry needed some things and I knew you would hate the thought of him not having his treats."

She nod as she fell into the chair and huffed "I hate these shoes."

"Horrible shoes. Shall I cut them into little pieces for you?" Ianto asked and she laughed, always amused by his dry responses and never sure when it was sarcasm or wit, usually taking it all for wit. After all, he would not DARE pick a fight.

"I am sorry I did that, forgot. I put in several months worth to make up to it and please.. add it to my diary prompts" she said as she rose and walked to the bedroom, leaving those shoes where she had kicked them off and Ianto swallowed anger once more as he bent to pick them up.

He was starting to get the idea Jack was trying to help him with.

He was happier when she was not there.

He deserved a life too.


	5. seeing through that Fog

Lisa was at home for a change, coming home at lunchtime angry with coffee split on her and Ianto not picking up the damned phone to bring her a change at work. He looked up with shock as she stormed into the apartment then stopped to stare at their son asleep on the sofa.

"Why is he not at preschool?" she demanded.

"A bad mood, I think it may be a back tooth. You know he suffers with his teeth like you do love" Ianto said easily, not totally lying as some of that was true.

"OK. OK, I do suffer" she huffed, going to change and Ianto waited until she was back out doing up her buttons to slide over the paperwork Jack had left with him that morning.

"Before you leave love, I know you will come home tired as it's a busy day so can you sign these papers for Henry now, get them out of the way."

"What are they?" she asked, puling them close to look over with mild interest.

"Well, his teeth. I may need to take him to a dentist and as you know, teeth are important with the braces out had to wear in our first year of our relationship so … I may need to sign something for some happy gas or something… made me think. If anything happened to you .. God forbid… but you are out there in the dangerous field of litigation and I worry. I worry for his future. As you are so busy, jet setting about helping everyone else you may not be here if he is hit by a car or… god. I don't know. You know I am a born worrier. As his primary caregiver it means they do not have to wait for you to come to the hospital as well, to give second permission to do emergency surgery or something. I don't know if that might be important but one of the kids in the Daddy and Me group had a problem when his son got his hand injured and needed a plastic surgeon to reconstruct some of the fingers. Both parents had to agree as it was outside of the insurance coverage and there was no clear custody chain" Ianto said, this all true.

"Christ, you are right, we see cases like that all the time. These days they need everything bar your blood. Well … they might need that next." She went off on a tangent about barcodes on the back of your hand, something she likes to rant about and he made the right noises as he filed away the papers that signed full custody to him of the child, regardless of DNA. Holy shit, it felt so wrong and at the same time… so right.

Like Jack's hand on his shoulder squeezing gently as he reassured him that he was a good Tad, doing the right thing. Lisa jet setting around could go up in a fiery plane crash … a shooting at the court house… it made sense.

.

.

.

.

Jack was swinging in his chair, not really thinking about much… other than that Welshman that seemed to take every spare moment right now.

He knew this was a good man, he didn't need to read the reports to know he wss a righteous man, even if his wife was clearly a whore! Jack knew she was paid a lot more than a legal secretary should be, noting the reason most likely the generous lawyer that needed her with him at all times. The Asian bastard that liked to rest his hand on her knee in the restaurant.

The kid was sweet. Clearly on the spectrum but his cute father was securing a good life for him and Jack felt sorrow in the man's pain in knowing this child was not biologically his. Blood did not matter, love did and to know Ianto was not changing his stance in the fact that this was still his son only told Jack what a good man he ws.

And damn, he looked good in a suit!

.

.

.

Lisa was home early.

Ianto was surprised to see her already and checked where their son was, relieved to see that he was not upset that his routine was out.

"Ianto... is he OK? Can we talk?" she asked, sitting at the table without even speaking to her son. Of course not. He was a secondary thing in her life… like Ianto.

"Sure love" Ianto said, hoping this was not bad news. He didn't want to move again, her love of loft apartments and such not his. He hated every place they lived in and he sat to learn the new fate.

"This was not planned" she began, like she did most thing she knew he might not like "this is a shock for me as well but I think we will embrace it, like we do everything in our life."

OK. Really not liking this.

"Ianto love… I am pregnant again" she said, her face glowing as she leaned forward "Your desire for another one… it's happening. I am about five weeks!"

Ianto was numb. His useless balls shriveling into his belly as he stared at her knowing there was no way in hell this was his child… again. He felt like he was floating away, shock setting in and he swallowed thickly.

"Wow. What I call a surprise alright!" he finally said, then smiled "Wow!"

She grinned as she leaned back and patted her flat stomach … and the reason that when she went to the bathroom Ianto pulled out his cell phone and typed in three words he never thought he would.

LET'S GO LOW


	6. secrets and lies

"Right. The paperwork is through, it's all done. Henry is yours, full and without conditions." Jack said as he slid over the final paperwork for Ianto to place in his flies. "You know, for a legal secretary she was a bit thick. She read it and still signed it?

"And the money?" Ianto asked.

"Well … the joint account can be drained at a moment's notice. Those hidden ones in your name and in Henry's, we can drain those as you are now his legal guardian. We can't get to those in her name only but with the pre-nup we can take a lot off her. Things her family demanded be in there actually works for you as well. Her infidelity means she has to split her assets with you 50/50 but nothing of yours can be touched. You also get a weekly allowance same as now for the rest of your life … this was set up to really fuck you over if you strayed… clearly daddy dearest never thought his little princess would be the one to fornicate off the reservation." Jack grinned, then watched Ianto's face to see if the upset was still raw.

"You know… I really was sure I wanted to work things out, work on it and find…now… she's pregnant again"

"What?" Jack was stunned… now that was a rarity … "Did you…"

"Yeah. She doesn't know I got the snip remember? Went to my doctor this morning for a recheck .. definitely no swimmers. Not mine. All the proof we need while protecting Henry." Ianto said, looking at the handsome man who was making Ianto feel more alive than Lisa ever did. Jack's eyes were piercingly alive, his mouth turned up at the corners and looed so kissable, that bottom lip...

"Oh my god, I am falling in lust" Ianto blurted suddenly, surprising them both and he cleared his throat then he explained "I find you… mesmerizing. I have not felt this way about someone for a very long time. Lisa may have been my first and only over but…I have always liked the human form… in all ways. Ah… Lisa and I have not been intimate in a while, another reason I knew it was not my baby. I think I fell out of love with her when I first started questioning my son's looks. Maybe before that. Since meeting you I am not only questioning my place with her but… I have to admit I am finding you… attractive."

"Well, I do not apologize for being sexy. It's a natural thing" Jack winked and Ianto laughed.

"Look… I hate to sound like… when this is over. Wherever we end up … do we end up as friends?" Ianto asked.

"You mean… when the cards are all dealt and the pot won … am I a prize too?" Jack raised an eyebrow and noted the blush he could see forming on the handsome man's face.

"Well…well …yes. Yes, that." Ianto blustered.

"Yes, I would like to … explore you" Jack winked and both men nodded seeing the promise there.

.

.

.

.

"So we see Daddy on Saturday night" Lisa was saying as she adjusted her collar in the mirror "We can give everyone the happy news then!"

"It's your step-mother's birthday. She might find it a bit… annoying to steal her thunder" Ianto warned gently "you know you and she have a tenuous relationship as it is. Besides, its news for your father, not her. Why let her make it about her?"

He watched her consider then added "If you have lunch with him that day, before the evening meal then you could tell him without her even knowing. Hold it back from her so she can't' do the whole 'grandmamma' crap she pulled with Henry. All evening you can sit there and know your father is pleased and she will not know why. He will not tell her if you say it is too soon to tell everyone, we want to … enjoy our news a little longer but wanted him to know first."

"Oh sweetie! What a wonderful idea!" Lisa gushed happily "I will take him to lunch and he will be so happy. Our special little secret. Only the two of us will know. Yes. She will know I made him happy, he will fuss on me and she will not know why. Anything she says to me will make him snap at her. So protective!"

"Exactly. Like you always say, he married her for her twenty five year old tits… nothing else. Also… the fact she can't' have a baby will be rubbed in her face when he finally tells her in one of their screaming matches about it." Ianto added what he knew would ensure her compliance with keeping the pregnancy quiet a little longer.

In time for him to get away.

Then she can tell whatever she wants … he will not have to put up with the handshakes and congratulations for his wife's affair.

When he was ready… everyone would know… EVERYTHING

.

.

.

"Mister Jones" the man said as he slid from behind the counter to greet him "Long time no see."

"Hello Winston. Yes. I am here to check things over" Ianto smiled at one of the few men who called him by his true name still. After all, he had known Ianto since he was a small boy. One of the advantages to having a jet setting mother was the travel between Wales, America, Canada and Japan. He had grown up with many languages, people and lifestyles.

"Well, it's all still there. You want the latest forms for your accounts or to get into the vault?"

"Just some comforting … how much am I rich now?"

"Well … last time I checked with those latest instalments … you have about five and a half million give or take in the coffers" Winston assured him with a pat to his hand "Your Mother's money is still increasing with time."

Ianto nodded as his nest egg he had hidden from Lisa and added to from the joint account each time she hit him or cut out another piece of his heart now became his life raft.

For his boy.

Time to get out of Dodge.


	7. D-Day or... Bitch Night?

Ianto knew he would not be invited to the lunchtime reveal. Lisa's father did not like him, did not hide that. Ianto did not mind, it was the day of all days after all and he was counting down the minutes as she left with a wave of her hand.

"She's out" Ianto said into his phone which had been on an open call since she had stepped into the morning shower and then he started gathering what he needed, the last few days spent already covertly moving things from the apartment that his son would need. As per usual, his wife had not noticed the missing toys and things. Why would she… she had no idea what their son did have.

Jack was coming up in the lift, bringing a team with him that swept the place, removing the hidden cameras and things that had been helping to create a great file of proof that Lisa did not care for the child. Ianto knew there was also footage of …. Lisa's days there alone while he was out of the apartment unaware that she was using it for other things during their afternoons at the park … but he did not want to know. He was focused.

Ianto had the last of what he needed placed by the door and the men started to take it down as Ianto looked around and sighed, then turned to see Jack lifting Henry to a hip and the little boy babbled happily to the man he had come to know as a friend.

"Come on Henry Bum, you can come help me in the car, right?" Jack said "Your seat is in there."

Ianto placed the car keys on the table, getting ready to leave both the apartment and car behind after the nights fun ahead. He knew she had the low jack codes for it and did not care to share his destination with her just yet. After all … she had been telling him nothing lately, right?

"Thanks Jack" Ianto said at the doorway to the apartment, leaning in to kiss him to the shock of all present, them included and Jack grinned as he skipped off with the child, Owen looking back at him with wide eyes.

"Really?"

"Yeah" Ianto said with a wide grin "Hell yeah. He is… yeah."

Owen's laughter helped Ianto return to the apartment for the last time to start preparing for the night of goodbyes.

.

.

.

.

Lisa looked delectable. She had returned full of joy and telling Ianto of her father's wish to gift them a new car. Really? Nice. Whatever. Ianto had nodded and said "Whatever you like love. You know I admire your taste."

"I want a silver one" she said as she applied her makeup then looked at her jewellery box "Ianto? I can't see you mother's broach I wanted to wear it tonight."

"Oh, could be in the safe deposit box love. We moved some stuff before the Bahamas, remember? I would have got it for you, sorry. But you know, your father would love to see your own mother's one right?" Ianto asked, then added "Or would that upset Stephanie?"

Lisa gleefully snatched up the broach and pinned it on with a look he knew well. Hopeful of an argument.

"Right, Owen has our son tonight" she said to her reflection "We have the entire night to do what has to be done."

"Yes. Tonight is all about you... your father and his wife" Ianto said like it was a chore and she giggled softly, slapping at him.

"I may slip away before the night is done ... you know I hate all the questions about why I don't have a job. No one respects the fact you are such a wonderful provider" Ianto said as he had practiced "come back and get the bed warmed for you."

"Yeah. Good" she said absently and Ianto was now sure that when he left she would not look for him, too busy stirring the shit with her family to care. She would be there all night, probably even stay over to piss off the poor woman who would ever be good enough for the family.

Ianto felt sorry for her, he knew how she felt.

They arrived and of course her father gathered her in his arms and carted her off lie she was a little girl leaving Ianto with the coats but he didn't care as he slipped the phone from her pocket, then searching for the step-mother who sat with some of the other family members talking softly.

"Stephanie, there you are. I wanted you to know… this is from me. Don't open it here, it's just for you…later" he winked and she accepted the envelope with confusion then he handed over a small box "This is for now."

She opened it and shirked as she looked at the huge diamond ring in there, one that Ianto had used Lisa's card to purchase as per her instructions to 'get her some bling that looks expensive' and she was almost in tears as she slid it onto her finger to see if it fitted. Of course it did. Ianto knew all those numbers too.

She stood and rushed for her husband and Lisa, enveloping them both as she wept and told Lisa how much she loved her and her thoughtful gift. She was so happy that they were entering a new phase in the their relationship. Lisa saw the ring and Ianto knew the flash of anger was for him but he didn't care as Lisa's father then told everyone his daughter was a wonderful woman with such a big heart to give such an expensive and loving git.

"Finally, you are growing up princess. I am so proud of you for this peace offering" he said as she leaned into him and accepted that she could not take that huge rock back now.

Ianto slipped out the side door with glee.

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Stephanie slipped upstairs and sat to open the envelope as she sat at her dresser, reading the note with interest that grew as she then removed the photographs of her husband with the young maid. How bloody typical. Ianto had taken the liberty of highlighting the pre-nup clause for infidelity that had her mouth going dry as he also told her in the letter that now was the time to strike… as he was too.

She would treasure that letter as she held it to her chest, heaving with emotion as she finally found a way to leave this god awful family with some of that money she knew that old prick would never leave her in his will like he kept promising.

The cherry on the top was knowing that Lisa was about to burn too!


	8. mic drop time

Jack was having fun with the little boy who had the craziest laugh. Henry clearly liked him too as the hugs to Jack's head grew and by the time Ianto got there the little boy ws exhausted.

"You got away ok?" Jack asked as he rose, the child still in his arms.

"She didn't' even notice my empty wardrobe, no toothbrushes… so in her own little world she never knew. I thought I would feel …" Ianto sighed as he couldn't find the right words.

"It is like a death. A death of what you thought you had. You are allowed to mourn that. You are allowed to cry, feel sad, angry and lost. Something did die. It did" Jack assured him gently, stepping closer as Ianto smiled and let him.

"Jack… thanks for everything. For the extra stuff on the father too, you know I didn't' ask for that."

"No… but I figured in for a penny…" Jack shrugged.

"You and your sayings" Ianto said wish a soft smile, leaning in to let their bodies touch, Henry between them "she is gonna be pissed."

"Super pissed. Like… supernova pissed" Jack said with an eye roll.

"And she will run to daddy ho has his own problems" Ianto laughed as he took his son and cuddled him "And someone is sooo past his bedtime. Come on sweetheart, come see this room back here."

Ianto walked through the house to the back room that was a replica to the one in the apartment, even the same toys. Of course they were… they were the same toys. Jack had lovingly recreated the room from the pictures so Henry would have the comfort of a familiar setting.

Ianto walked back to the living room and flopped into the comfortable sofa "Right. What now?"

Now we wait" Jack replied "she will try things, do things, say things. Provoke you to respond, give her ammo. We simply wait it out. Stay hidden. They can't snatch and grab what they can't find. Your lawyer has all the paperwork to send any police investigation away, as long as they cannot find you, they have no power."

"This house… it's lovely" Ianto replied to change the subject as he looked around "I do love the stained wood. Old fashioned but so … warm. Homely, comforting."

"It was my father's safe house. Every time he and mom had a fight he would escape here for the weekend. Fishing on the lake out back" Jack replied. "A few times he hid witnesses here for some touchy trials but… mostly his hideaway from everyone else.

"I thought…"

"That is was a rental? No. Not this time. I wanted you totally off the grid so … welcome to my home away from home" Jack said with a grand sweep of his arm.

Ianto was just glad it was all over.

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Jack watched the little boy on the floor, ruing a little toy car back and forth.

"You know, he's a good little boy" he finally said out loud and Ianto looked up from the papers he was reading with surprise.

"Thank you."

"No, seriously. I mean.. clearly he has some delays but… he's a clever little thing, aren't you Henry Bum? You know… he's a cool little dude" Jack said smiling as the child rose to toddle to him and get a cuddle.

Ianto was reading the papers from his lawyer and the letter that told him the Hallett family were baying for blood. Things were moving and the lawyer assured Ianto that there was going to be a nice tidy sum coming his way if he was happy to settle.

"want m e to settle" Ianto huffed.

"what's the offer?"

"Knowing them, not enough" Ianto looked up and smiled at him "Worth seeing I guess. If it makes them go away… I would settle for half I know I am owed. I just want Henry and me to live a peaceful comfortable life."

"Well… we can go and see. Worth a meal in town" Jack said as he settled back to pick up some papers of his own "we can get Tosh and Owen to babysit. They are getting fond of him ya know."

"Mutual. He called her aunty the other day, right out of the blue. She looked like she was stoked" Ianto agreed.

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Lisa was wearing black like she was in mourning, emphasizing the belly that was a mild bump now.

"We would like to start with…"

Ianto's lawyer cut off hers with a loud slap of the table "This is not about what you want. It's about what is legally correct right now. Now… you have the paperwork, know the reason and we just need to get this done"

"Missus Hallett wishes to see her son"

"She signed him away, all rights. See the papers." The lawyer waved a hand as Ianto's continued to stare at the wall opposite. He felt badly, she was the boy's mother and maybe she genuinely missed the five minutes a day she spent looking at him with distain. Maybe she just didn't understand until now "Maybe in time she can have supervised visits, once we have an agreement that there will be no negative actions."

"Ianto.. how could you do this" she sobbed from her side of the table "Where is he? You couldn't even bring him today for me to see?"

"You didn't want him … signed him away as you likely will that one now" Ianto said, then tapped the table with his fingers "after all … it's not mine."

"What you do mean, why are you being so cruel" she wailed theatrically as her lawyer's assistant rushed to comfort her. "wait until Daddy hears about this!"

"Please look at the medical record proving my client is sterile. That baby in your client's belly is not his. Clear proof that an affair had occurred… infidelity is proven and as per the Pre-nup we only have to crunch the numbers and go our separate ways!"

Lisa' eyes widened as she stared at Ianto hard, finally seeing that she was trapped with her own pre-nup.


	9. satisfaction

"So… half the known assets?" Owen asked.

"Yeah, they tried to offer less than a third of what I was supposed to know about and I pointed out the other accounts she didn't' know I had on her. Her face" Ianto laughed happily "she was spewing on it. Yep. Almost two million dollars, daddy cut the cheque to get rid of me. You could see he was physically ill with it all. His own divorce in the works."

"So … we gonna see her again?" Jack wondered out loud as he lifted the spoon to fed the little boy who was having a crappy day. Jack had arriving back from checking Ianto was not followed to find Owen pleading to the tyke who had refused to eat and was now eating for Jack with glee.

"We were going to stop for a meal but thought we might get takeaway food for all of us" Ianto said as he placed the bags of Chinese down, then added the two boxes of pizza.

"Christ! A veritable feast!" Owen said with glee as Toshiko went to get some plates.

"A celebration" Ianto said happily "she is in so much strife right now, apparently the man she has been sleeping with is the son-in-law of the CEO who didn't want the marriage of his daughter to go up in smoke so…Lisa is a gonners. No job."

"Shit, she lived for that job!" Toshiko said around a mouthful of pizza "Wow."

Yeah. Well … she has a lovely apartment to sulk in" Ianto shrugged, not really caring as he watched Jack take a mouthful of noodles and then suck the rest in decadently. Such a pig. Such a child. Ianto grinned at him.

"I have never felt so .. liberated. We eat what we want, when we want … I never saw how much she controlled us. All the time, even when she was not there. Seeing her there… I didn't even know her" Ianto said as he accepted a mouthful from Jack's chopsticks and hummed.

Toshiko froze, the slice of pizza halfway to her mouth as she watched the sharing of food and Owen in his usual way continued to eat like nothing was happening.

"So… what now?" she asked slowly.

"Now… we sit back and gloat for a while" Jack said around his food "And the little man gets a bath. Look at that. A noodle hat, clever!"

Ianto turned and gaped at the child who had tipped the bowl of food onto his head and looked quite pleased with himself as the sauce ran down his face.

"Come on" Jack laughed as he rose to help with the boy "That was an original thought."

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Ianto knew it was Stephanie and he raised a hand to wave as she saw him and she lit up as she hurried across the crowded restaurant to him "Hello Ianto love."

"Hey Stehp. Glad to see you understood the weird instructions" Ianto said as he helped pull her chair out for her and she settled with glee as he then poured her some champagne. She then reached for the water glass instead "I hear you are on the final lap? Hard to believe it's been two months since we found our spines."

"Yes, that chequered flag is waving and he is on three wheels!" she giggled "He's fucked. The best part is that he doesn't know that she is not the only one preggers."

"No!"

"Yes, six months now. I was going to say at my party but when you gave me that ring and envelope… I knew something was happening. He thinks we are done but then ... my lawyer is going to wait and do a paternity test then go him for the baby's rights."

"Ouch" Ianto grimaced, then laughed despite himself "that is extra dark!"

"Yes, almost black" she said, flicking back her blonde locks "You and I were the minorities, our white skin such an affront when the entire time they were the ones who had to reflect on their sins."

"Well … serves them right!"

"And I do not know how to thank you" she reached for his hand "Thank you for saving me from that, for helping me find a new life."

"Don't be silly" Ianto patted her hand with his other hand, the ring she knew he had purchased for her there pride of place "Like you said, we had to stick tighter."

"How is he?"

"Henry?"

Ianto looked through his lashes then made a leering face ad she snorted with mirth. He whispered "Let's just say.. the first kisses have turned to first cuddles… gropes and a frantic hand job on the sofa that left us jazzed in our pants like kids."

"OH MY!" she laughed happily "Well done. He is lovely. She suspects, and rants about the house ... he doesn't care"

"So you are still there?"

"Possession is part of the claim. I furnished it, designed everything … so technically it is my house, purchased when we married and I kept the wedding card from him telling me this ws 'my new home' so I am not moving out. He is in the guest quarters trying to hold on but I see him moving out in a few weeks. I have a cousin coming to pretend to be my 'pool boy' for a while with some topless pool cleaning and such to let him see I have moved on."

"Oh, that is a good one. I need to do that with Jack ... only... he would need to be a window washer for that apartment she is sulking in. Rub himself on the glass… no… bad idea. He would want to do it naked."

She roared with mirth as she watched Ianto become someone she only saw rarely in private, now openly happy and sweet.

They both found their feet and knew for sure….

No shame on them.


	10. and we have peace in the valley

Stephanie was laughing as the little one bobbed in the water, Ianto holding her under her pudgy little arms. She was three months old and a lovely little thing, loving life and her dotting uncles who came to see her at least once a week. Henry was with Jack right now, arguing as Jack struggled the water wings onto his little arms and finally Jack released him to let his favourite little stinker into the water.

"Lunch will be ready in fifteen minutes madam" the servant called out, his hands clinging to the door as he leaned out and waved to the baby girl. Her pale tan skin was so cute as were her strikingly green eyes like her mama.

"Ianto, did you buy that new vehicle?" Stephanie called out to the man she now thought of like a brother.

"Jack got it. He researched the safety rating, the mileage… you name it. Who knew he could be anal about something" Ianto replied and Jack ignored their laughter as he reached out to splash water at their son who squeaked with glee, splashing back.

"So… what a year" Jack said as they finally settled around the table, the two little ones in their respective chairs as well. Little Athena in a highchair and Henry in a normal one. Since his life had normalised so had he. He would never be 'normal' but what the hell does that mean anyway?

He was happy.

They were all eating when the doorbell rang and the servant slid into the room looking nervous.

"Sorry madam, it's the mister."

She grunted and her ex-husband entered the room only to slow then freeze as he saw his grandson sitting next to his baby daughter.

"What do you want!" Stephanie said flatly "It is not a visitation day. Are you trying to breach the order?"

"I … I just… I … you have visitors"

"I see. Someone rang you and said I had some men here? Is that it? Are you having me watched still? You know you have been warned about that!" she snarled rising from the chair "In front of her. God, you are really going to do this in front of everyone? You? Mister Projection!"

"You know who I am, who we both are" Ianto said as he rose from his chair to look at his ex-father-in-law.

"And you are in clear breath if someone is watching this place for you, or her in particular" Jack said as he leaned back in his seat then said softly "Don't poke that in your leg son."

Ianto watched the old man's eyes widen as Jack calmly told Henry to put the fork down and the child complied with a cheeky grin, then begin to drink for a cup unaided.

"You were all in this together?"

Ianto blinked, then laughed as he saw the mistake "Oh no. No. Jack is not with Stephanie. He is with me! Me. Mine. Me and him … you know... a couple. No. Jack helped as any person would when seeing an injustice but Stephanie is still not in a relationship with anyone right now. Unless you count the one with her daughter."

"Thank you Ianto" she said happily folding her arms as she glared at him.

The man left the house he had thought he would live out his final days in… nursed by the woman he knew now he should have treated better, those inside the ones who had ever been treated like family and now…

Were righteous.

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So this one ends.

Thanks for reading.


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